Crossing Timelines
by jennibert
Summary: The Time Agency sent him back in time to check out Torchwood. But when the man currently calling himself Jakob Harrison actually meets them, he's in for a bit of a shock. Disclaimer: I do not own Torchwood or the characters. I just like them a lot.
1. Don't Fancy Being Ripped Apart byReapers

His fellow agents knew him as Jakob Harrison—for the moment, at least. He'd also been Jericho Harding, James Harper, and Jasper Hale—the last of which one of his female colleagues had found hilarious, though she wouldn't explain why. But no matter what his name was, he always thought of himself as Jax.

Jax stood on Plass Roald Dahl wishing he was just about anywhere—or anywhen—else. Twenty-first century Cardiff was backwards and boring. Okay, so there were some lovely people who were definitely worth looking at—or more—but that wasn't what he was here to do. Unfortunately.

Finding Torchwood wasn't easy even with the resources of the Time Agency at his disposable. He'd been working on this project for months and all he'd come up with was that it was currently located somewhere near the Plass. He'd been wandering here for three hours and had yet to see anything that looked suspicious. How was he supposed to find the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness if the man never appeared at his own front door?

He was losing interest, allowing himself to get distracted by a pair of pretty ladies who were quite taken with his apparently American accent when another woman stalked up to him. She was pretty, with long dark hair, green eyes, and an intriguing gap between her teeth, but she was clearly annoyed as she approached him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. "You better not have forgotten Ianto's birthday." Who the hell was Ianto, and why would Jax care about his birthday? But none of that showed on his face. He merely gave her his trademark grin.

"I'm taking in the scenery, gorgeous. You're welcome to join me."

The invitation seemed to only make her madder. "You stop that right now," she snapped, and he blinked at her. Who was this woman? "Ianto may be forgiving, but you forgoing his birthday dinner to flirt with other people on the Plass is pushing even his limits." What the hell was she talking about? As if he would have a boyfriend anyway. Much more fun to play the field.

Before he could come up with a response—and he hated it when people managed to get him to that point—another person joined in the discussion. "_What_ are you wearing?"

Jax jerked his head around to look at the young man who had spoken. He too was gorgeous, with short dark hair, ice blue eyes, and a tall, slim frame that was complimented by the neat three piece suit he wore. He'd raised one eyebrow as he looked at Jax, an intriguing expression that made Jax want more. He'd always had a preference for pretty young men.

"Nothing I wouldn't let you take off, eye candy," he said suggestively, only to be flabbergasted as the young man flinched, his expression closing in as thoroughly as though Jax had slapped him. As if that weren't weird enough, gap-toothed woman seemed to take that as a cue to spit fire.

"You bastard! How dare you call him that!" Jax's patience ran out.

"What is it with you people? I don't know either of you, all right? You must have me confused with someone else."

"What do you mean—" The woman would probably have gone on longer—for hours if he'd let her—but the young man grabbed her arm.

"That's not Jack," he said quietly, and Jax was startled to hear the name so close to his own.

"What do you mean that's not Jack? Who else—"

"Look at his eyes."

The woman did as directed, staring straight into his eyes just long enough to be uncomfortable before turning to look up at her companion. Apparently she agreed, as the young man spoke again.

"My apologies, sir," he said, his voice even, polite, and detached. "You bear an uncanny resemblance to a friend of ours."

Jax glowered at them. "Just keep her away from me. I don't need a lecture on your friend's failings."

"Of course not, sir. We'll be going now." Even though he was clearly the younger of the two, the woman nodded at his pointed glance.

"My apologies as well," she added. They turned around and headed towards the huge water tower, whispering furiously as soon as they were out of earshot. It was only as they walked away that he fully registered that they'd given him what could have been his first lead on Jack Harkness…or a random coincidence of first name. But that was more than he'd had for the last three hours. Jax slipped away from the young women he'd been talking to and worked to get within hearing distance of the two.

He'd just managed it when they stopped, both of their attention drawn off to the side. He followed their gaze as he heard them swear, his eyes landing on what was clearly an alien, but of a sort he'd never seen before. Large forehead, big teeth, wearing a very unattractive jumpsuit of some sort. There weren't supposed to be those sorts of things around here, were there? Certainly not three of them.

The young man (who Jax decided to dub "The Suit") turned to the young woman ("The Gap"). "I'll work on clearing the Plass," she said before he could speak. "You and Jack are the best with Weevils."

"We do spend a lot of time Weevil hunting," said The Suit archly, and she groaned. The Gap smiled an endearing smile as she turned to the people around her and started convincing them to move away.

The Suit, meanwhile, tapped his ear and started to speak aloud. "Jack, we've got Weevils just off the Plass. Gwen's running interference, but I'll need you quickly." Jax couldn't hear the response, but the smirk it generated was certainly fun to look at. The Gap was doing a good job of clearing people away, making it harder for Jax to remain covert and still see what was going on, so he couldn't actually tell when "Jack" appeared or even get a good look at him. He merely noticed that The Suit was suddenly accompanied by a tall man in a long blue coat (who obviously was going to have to be dubbed The Coat even if Jax did know his name).

Both men had produced guns and were headed for the aliens. Jax slipped through the crowd past The Gap, trying to get close enough to see what they were up to. They were good, had clearly done this before. The Suit had been stiff and uptight talking to Jax just minutes before, but he was relaxed now. His moves were good, but The Coat, however…he was a soldier. Takes one to know one, after all.

They'd taken down two of the creatures with just enough effort to be fun to watch, hitting them with some sort of spray before putting bags over their heads. The Suit was finishing that with the second when the third creature got away from The Coat and charged the younger man. The Suit tried to get out of the way, but his foot got caught under him and he went down. Jax couldn't make out what The Coat shouted as he somehow managed to get himself between the boy and the monster, but the sound was quickly lost as the monster slashed The Coat's throat.

"JACK!" shouted The Suit, bringing his gun up and putting three bullets straight into the creature's head. It collapsed on top of The Coat.

_Well, shit_, thought Jax. If The Coat was Captain Jack Harkness, that made this mission infinitely less interesting. Jax approached, trying to get another look at the man who was quite clearly dead.

"Don't touch him!" Jax jumped back instinctively at the commanding tone, surprised to find that it had come from The Suit, who had yet to regain his feet, though it looked like he was trying. Must have hurt his leg when he fell.

"Sorry, but your boyfriend's dead," he replied.

"No, he's not," snapped The Suit. "Don't touch him." He scowled at Jax, then down at his injured leg, moving himself carefully across the ground until he was next to The Coat, whose face Jax still couldn't see. His face changed as he reached a hand to caress The Coat, becoming softer. "I'm here, Jack."

"You can touch him but I can't, huh?" snarked Jax.

The Suit didn't look up, instead gathering his lover in his arms, giving Jax his first look at The Coat's face. "I don't fancy being ripped apart by Reapers," said The Suit, but Jax barely registered it, too shocked at he stared at The Coat's face. At his own face. At his own _dead_ face.

"Back up," ordered The Suit. "He sometimes thrashes when he wakes and I don't want him to hit you accidentally." Jax backed up several steps until he hit a wall, staring at the men before him. _It can't be. That can't be me. I don't look more than two or three years older—is that all the time I have left? Is this how I die, in an alley on a backwater planet centuries before I was born?_

"Have you been to Heliax 4?" asked The Suit, and Jax blinked at him.

"Yes. Why?"

"Just trying to get an idea of your timeline." Before Jax could respond, The Coat let out a sudden gasp and jerked in The Suit's arms. "It's all right, Jack. I'm here."

"Ianto! Are you all right?"

"Twisted my ankle. Had to kill the Weevil. But we've got a bigger problem."

The Coat's eyes locked on Jax. "Shit."

"He said he'd been to Heliax 4."

"Wonderful," said The Coat as he got to his feet. He tapped his ear. "Gwen, we're going to need you." He looked at Jax, trying to look impassive, but Jax had practiced that expression too many times and recognized confusion, intrigue, and concern beneath it. Most of the latter was for his young companion, who was leaning against him since he couldn't put any weight on his injured ankle.

"I don't remember this," said Jax. "And since I would certainly remember him, I take that to mean you're older than me. But you don't remember this either, do you?"

"I have gaps in my memory," admitted his other self. "The biggest of which starts after Heliax 4." Jax regarded The Suit closely. That explained the earlier question. Whoever this young man was, they were very close. "So, Jakob Harrison?"

Jax nodded. "And I have a sneaking suspicion that you're Captain Jack Harkness." A look of concern crossed his counterpart's face, but before he could confirm or deny, The Gap reappeared.

"Jack! Ianto!" She came closer, the concern on her face turning to alarm as she got close enough to see Jax. "Damn."

"How are things on the Plass?"

"Under control," she responded briskly without taking her eyes from Jax. "Everyone moved away easily. No police response yet, though I think someone called them."

"We've got to get into the Hub, all four of us. But he and I can't touch, and I'm not sure Ianto can make it to the tourist shop."

"Just a twisted ankle," put in Ianto before the woman could express her concern. "I should be fine once I've got some of Owen's alien drugs in me." A brief shadow of sorrow crossed all three faces. Whoever Owen had been, it was clear he was gone.

"We need to talk, but here's not the place," said Jack, looking at Jax. He nodded agreement. "Go with Gwen and she'll take you into our base. Ianto and I will meet you there."

"All right." This was insane, but what else could he do? He'd never understand it otherwise…and he was itching to get a look at the underground base that was obliquely referenced in much of the research he'd done.

They made their way back onto the Plass, Jax watching Jack and Ianto. The latter looked impassive, though a brief hint of pain and annoyance slipped through. The former looked concerned, both for his lover and for the situation.

"This one of your spooky-dos, then?" came another voice, and all four of them turned to see a young policeman looking at them. He was cute, Jax noted absently, just as the man registered Jax's presence and openly gaped.

"This is Jack's brother, Jakob," supplied Ianto quickly and smoothly. Jax flinched ever so slightly at the word brother, noting that Jack did the same. "He dropped in for a surprise visit. The resemblance is uncanny, isn't it? Jakob, this is PC Andy Davidson, an old friend of Gwen's."

"A pleasure to meet you," leered Jax, and Andy winced.

"Uncanny indeed," he said. "All under control then?"

"Yes, but please keep that alley blocked off until we can get back." Gwen smiled at the young man. "Come on, Jakob. This way."

Jax followed the young woman down off the Plass, putting everything else out of his head as he enjoyed the way she walked. When he became Jack, he'd have to be sure to do her and Ianto, and possibly that PC as well. Maybe that was why he'd stayed in Cardiff?

Gwen led him into a rather shabby tourist shop. He was amused when she opened a wall via a hidden button. He didn't worry about figuring out where, as he'd already set his manipulator to record everything it could while she wasn't looking—since he'd noticed that Jack still wore his, she might be suspicious if she saw him using it obviously.

He'd been determined not to look impressed by the base no matter what, but it was an effort he lost when the pterodactyl flew over. "That is _gorgeous_," he said reverently.

"Her name's Myfanwy," said Ianto from a rather ratty couch by one of the workstations. "And she's a pteranodon, not a pterodactyl." Jax looked at him sharply. "I know Jack." The reply came with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk.

"He called it a pterodactyl when we first caught her," said Jack easily as he came up some steps holding a syringe and a bandage of some sort. Primitive medicine. Jax suppressed a shudder. Ianto rolled his eyes.

"As I have said before, sir, I needed your attention. That was more urgent than correctness at the time." Jack grinned at Ianto as he knelt before Ianto's injured ankle. The younger man winced at the injection.

"Better me than Gwen," said Jack, and Ianto winced again, though he wisely said nothing. "You know, the worst thing about this is that you're not in any shape to get to the coffee machine."

Ianto looked dismayed. "I might actually let you carry me for that." Jack grinned.

Jax, however, had had enough. "Look, the banter is great, but at the moment I'm more concerned with what the fuck is going on here."

"This is Torchwood," said Jack, drawing himself up to his full height. The coat hanging around him added to the effect, giving him a commanding look that made Jax envious. "Why are you here? What's happened since Heliax 4?"

"I was assigned a new mission, a solo mission," said Jax. "Investigating an organization that was causing the Time Agency some problems."

"Torchwood is still around in the 51st Century?" asked Gwen in surprise.

"And under the command of the mysterious Captain Jack Harkness." All three of them smiled slightly without responding. Jax kept his face neutral, showing no sign of how infuriating he found that…though he was sure he hadn't fooled Jack and only mostly sure he'd gotten it past the other two.

_This is fucking insane. I'm sitting in Torchwood's secret underground base talking to my future self who is in charge of Torchwood._ The Time Agency was going to kill him, possibly literally.

"How do I end up here?" he finally burst out.

"You know I can't tell you that," said Jack quietly. "Did they send you here to take me out?" Jax's expression didn't change, but his lack of answer told the others—all three, he noticed—exactly what they wanted to know. "Do they know who I am?"

"I didn't. Doesn't mean they don't." Fifty-fifty odds in his estimation. On the one hand, they didn't want to cause a paradox. On the other hand, he wasn't very popular at the Time Agency at the moment. This might be someone's idea of a prank. Jack looked like he was making the same calculation.

"Clearly they don't know everything about you," muttered Ianto. Jax looked at him sharply.

"And I'd rather it stay that way," said Jack pointedly. Ianto smirked at him. Okay, definitely doing him first when Jax became Jack. The boy was both gorgeous and snarky—who could resist?

"I'm in favor of it too," said Jax. "Much rather live a nice long life." For some reason, all of the others grimaced at that.

"You think so?" asked Jack, taking a step closer to Jax, who stood his ground. For the first time, Jax looked his double in the eye….and it was terrifying.

There was no way this man was only the two to four years older than him that he looked. There was a weight in his eyes that only came from either a life that was quite long or one filled with trauma. Possibly both. _No wonder Ianto and Gwen could tell I wasn't him. This is what I have to look forward to? What the hell happens to me before I end up at Torchwood?_ Jax shuddered.

"I know," said Jack softly. "I'd give you a pat on the shoulder, but, well, Reapers."

"What are Reapers?" asked Gwen. Jax tuned out Jack's explanation, his mind whirling. He needed answers, lots of them. He'd never get them out of Jack—he knew himself too well for that—but it seemed that Jack had confided things to his lover….and Ianto was sitting on the sofa looking bored by the discussion of Reapers.

"So, you and me?" leered Jax as he settled next to the younger man. Ianto gave him a look of disdain.

"Eventually."

"That accent of yours is gorgeous," purred Jax. Ianto smirked.

"So you tell me again and again." Jack was still talking to Gwen, not paying attention.

"Too bad we can't pull off a threesome," he said suggestively. "You, me, and me." He casually flipped open his vortex manipulator and began to nonchalantly press buttons.

"Now that would be a very nice birthday present," mused Ianto, and Jax grinned. "Shame about the Reapers."

"That tells me part of why I like you. Add it up with the exterior package and you're just irresistible, aren't you?" Ianto blushed and dropped his gaze, finally noticing Jax's fingers on the manipulator.

"What are you doing?" he asked sharply. The others looked up, but it was too late. Jax grabbed Ianto's hand, put it on his wrist strap, and pressed the final button to send them into the vortex.


	2. His Own Personal Version of Hell

Ianto's first experience with time travel ended with him falling inelegantly on his ass and trying his best not to lose his lunch. Before he had a chance to recover, he found himself being thoroughly kissed by a man who looked, sounded, tasted, and even smelled like Jack. For a moment Ianto simply reacted to what his senses were telling him—that this was the man he loved. But then his brain kicked in and he pushed the man who was not yet Jack off of him.

Jakob smirked at him, an expression Ianto normally enjoyed from Jack. "What? I'm a good kisser."

"You'll get better," said Ianto mildly as he pushed himself to a sitting position, scowling at his right ankle. "When are we?"

The pout that had come from the insult to his kissing skills brightened into a grin. "That's a much more intelligent question than one would expect from a man of your time."

"I work for Torchwood and am dating a time-traveler. What did you expect me to ask?"

"Fair point. We're in the year 5083."

Ianto took a deep breath. "Are we anywhere I would have heard of?"

"Probably not. Why didn't you fight when I grabbed you?"

Ianto shrugged. "Not in favor of getting splinched."

Jakob snorted. "How'd you know that term?"

"Harry Potter." Ianto moved himself towards a couch. _Bloody typical. I get to see the future, but I'm injured and missing a shoe._ Jack had taken it off when he'd wrapped Ianto's ankle, so it was still sitting in the Hub. At least it didn't hurt as much, though he doubted it would take any weight.

"Here." Jakob reached down and lifted Ianto onto the couch.

"Thanks," he said despite his annoyance at having been picked up like a child. "Why did you bring me here?"

"I want answers, and I suspect you have them."

"You can't know your own future. Even I know enough about time travel to know that."

"I don't care!" shouted Jakob, panic slipping onto his face. "I was just sent back in time to kill my future self. How old is he, anyway?"

"I don't know. I haven't asked."

"But you have an idea."

"I won't tell you." Ianto glowered at the man before him, who pouted at him. Damn it, Ianto hated it when Jack pouted. Though, oddly, he did it better at one hundred-seventy-odd than he did in his early thirties. He wouldn't have thought that such a childish expression would get better with age….

"Fine. Where did he pick up the rank of captain?"

"World War II. Why else do you think he wears the coat?"

"That _is_ an awesome coat," said Jakob with a smile.

"I'm quite fond of it."

"And now I'm picturing you wearing nothing but that…" He leaned in again, running a hand down the side of Ianto's face that made him shiver even as he pressed himself into the couch to get away. "You don't have to resist me, you know," Jakob purred in Ianto's ear. "I am, technically, still your boyfriend."

"You're not ready for me yet," said Ianto with a raised eyebrow as he fought to keep his expression cool and distant. It was the first time he'd ever heard Jack's voice refer to himself as his boyfriend, and it wasn't really Jack. Jakob made a move as though he were going to kiss Ianto again, but before he could the door slammed open.

"There you are!" said a familiar voice, and Ianto restrained a groan.

"Not now, Dante," replied Jakob irritably without retreating from Ianto's personal space. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"That is a lovely piece of eye candy you've got there, Jakob," drawled the man Ianto knew as John Hart. "Don't suppose you'd like to share?"

Ianto rolled his eyes. "I am not having sex with either of you," he informed them shortly.

"Then what is he even doing here?" As Ianto got a better look at Hart, he realized that the man was at least five, possibly ten years younger than he'd been the last time he'd seen him. Damn time travel.

"Long story," said Jakob as he got to his feet. "Short version is that he has information I need."

"You need information from what, the 22nd century?"

Ianto didn't feel the need to correct him, but it seemed Jakob did. Much as Jack would have. "21st, actually. But maybe I'll keep him once I've got the info. He is cute, after all."

Ianto glowered again. Hart snorted. "Personality leaves something to be desired."

"Yeah , no idea what I see in him," said Jakob thoughtlessly. Ianto would have sighed, but he was busy trying to look impassive. "Apparently, at some point in my future, he's my boyfriend."

Hart raised an eyebrow. "You? With a boyfriend?"

"I know. Weird, huh? I mean, can you imagine me with just one person? I don't know how I haven't gotten bored."

Ianto did his best not to react to that. Yes, he knew that Jack wasn't really the type to settle down for long, and yes, he knew that this wasn't really Jack. Not yet. But it still hurt to hear those words in Jack's voice.

"Why are you here, anyway?" asked Jakob, looking closely at Hart.

"Big boss has been looking for you. You're not there first thing tomorrow, you're in big trouble."

"Again?" muttered Jakob, but his look of annoyance quickly morphed into a leer. "So, the morning, huh?" He took a step closer to Hart and reached his hand up to run down the other man's face before pulling him in for a kiss. Jack often used that exact tone and movement on Ianto.

In Ianto's personal list of the things he most did not want to see, Jack having sex with John Hart was very near the top. And even though he closed his eyes and told himself that _this isn't Jack_, he could still hear them and, even worse, smell them. Those wonderful pheromones that Ianto had become conditioned to react to were washing over him and making his trousers rather uncomfortably tight. But he absolutely refused to do anything about it while they were right there having sex on the floor. That would be admitting that they were getting to him.

He knew when they finished even without his eyes open—he did, after all, have extensive experience of what Jack sounded like when he came. He shifted ever so slightly so that his own aroused state would be less obvious and feigned sleep. Either he wasn't as good at that as he liked to think, or Jakob just didn't care, as he found himself with an up close whiff of those damned pheromones.

"Want some help with that, gorgeous?" Jakob purred as Ianto started breathing through his mouth. He had a hard enough time resisting Jack when he didn't smell strongly of sex.

"No, thank you."

"Come on, you liked the idea of you, me, and me. I promise you that Dante's as imaginative as I am. It could be fun."

Ianto couldn't quite conceal the flare of disgust in his eyes. Jakob looked surprised for a moment before realization dawned. "You've met Dante before, haven't you?" From the floor, Hart looked up, and Ianto quickly closed his eyes again. He did _not_ need to see the man naked.

Jakob took his silence as an affirmative and started to snicker. "Looks like you made a bad impression," he laughed to Hart.

"My guess? He doesn't like to share," sneered Hart in response. "Stupid backwards 21st century." Ianto heard rustling, and then he had a moment to register a second source of pheromones before someone kissed him and a second someone dropped their face between his legs. Ianto pushed at the man closest to him and brought his knee up towards the one nuzzling his lap. Hart laughed as he hit the floor and Jakob artfully avoided the knee. Ianto started to lunge to his feet, injured ankle be damned, but as he did, he registered that his good ankle felt heavier than it should be.

"Did you put a shackle on my ankle?" he demanded, incensed. Jakob smirked.

"Well, we're not inclined to sit out here and keep an eye on you, but the last thing I need is a man three millennia out of his time wandering off." His face changed, became the threatening visage that Ianto hadn't seen directed at him since the day Lisa died. "You're not going home until you tell me what I want to know. I'd rather not force you into it another way, as I know I'll feel guilty about it later. You don't want to do that to me, do you, Ianto?"

Ianto set his face into his perfect unreadable mask. "I never wish to cause you pain, sir."

Jakob smiled nastily, then turned to Hart. "Come on, Dante. Bed's more comfortable." He spared one more glance for Ianto. "Chain's long enough to get you to the loo and the kitchen," he said, waving his arm in the direction of each. "Though you'll probably have to crawl with that ankle." They didn't bother to shut the door before they were at it again.

If Ianto had been asked to come up with his own personal version of Hell, this was very close to what he would have described; all it was missing was CyberLisa. He settled back onto the couch and drew his knees up to his chin, wishing he was anywhere—or anywhen—else.


	3. Worth Risking a Paradox?

Jax woke early the next morning. Normally he wouldn't care if he was running a little late for a meeting with the boss, but today he didn't want to give her a reason to keep him for too long, as that would leave Ianto alone. Aside from the obvious risks of having an unknown in his personal space, he really didn't want to harm the boy. Jax had seen the way his future self reacted to him. Eventually, he'd become Jack and he'd be in love with this handsome but rather odd young man. Killing him was out of the question, and even sustained harm would mean he'd be most upset with himself later.

The man in question was sleeping on the couch—for real this time. He'd taken off his suit coat and tie and unbuttoned his vest, which combined with his relaxed expression to make him look adorable. It seemed he'd been up as there was a trail of furniture across the room that was at about the right height for Ianto to lean on. So the boy had refused to crawl. Good for him.

Dante was up a few minutes later. "Morning, lover."

"Since when do you call me that?"

"Since it'll annoy what's-his-name," was the response in a tone that implied that should have been obvious. Jax laughed.

"Save it for when he's awake, Wil."

A flash of anger crossed the other's face. "You're not the boss of me, _Jax_."

There was no response that wouldn't start a fight, so Jax said nothing. Not that he minded a fight—he just didn't have the time for a good one, nor the make-up sex that would inevitably follow. They ate together in silence.

Ianto was awake by the time they headed for the front door, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Headed into work," Jax informed him. "Plenty to eat so help yourself, cutie." He flicked his thumb across the end of Ianto's upturned nose and only just managed not to laugh at the annoyance in the blue eyes above it. "Do I get a good-bye kiss?"

Ianto rolled his eyes, but did not further dignify his question with a response. Jax decided not to push him too much, but he couldn't resist leaning in to whisper, "Bet you'll be glad to see me tonight after a day here with nothing to do."

"As it seems you live like a pig no matter what your age, I'm sure I'll keep busy," sniped Ianto. Jax grinned, and so did Dante.

"See you later, eye candy," he said, leaning in as though to kiss Ianto, who retreated quickly. Jax laughed.

His supervisor was currently using the name Silver Ferris. She was gorgeous, with long hair in the exact color of her name and a perfect pixie face and body that Jax would kill to get his hands on. She was also a stone cold bitch who didn't like it when her agents didn't do as told. If he told her who Jack Harkness really was, she wasn't above ordering him killed to accomplish her goal of getting rid of Torchwood.

"Heya Silver," he said with a broad grin as he entered her office.

"Torchwood is still alive and kicking, Harrison."

"They're real protective of their captain. Made me as a threat, so I came back here to see if I can do some more research."

"I've seen your version of research, Harrison. Mostly it involves pretending to look things up until some pretty thing comes in." Jax shrugged and grinned. "Prove me wrong. Tell me about Torchwood."

"Founded in the late 1800's by Queen Victoria to defend the Earth from alien incursions, particularly an entity known as the Doctor. Some later records also mention this Doctor, who is claimed to be a Time Lord." Here Silver snorted.

"Really? And I thought they didn't deal in mythology."

"Regardless, the name of their leader, Captain Jack Harkness, starts popping up around the turn of the twenty-first century. The institute disappeared for a couple of years early in that century, but eventually pops back up under his command. Near as I can tell, he's still officially in charge." And wasn't _that_ a terrifying prospect, but he kept his expression from changing. "Considering that Torchwood salvaged most of the alien artifacts they were supposed to be protecting the Earth from, it is believed that he somehow managed to become a sentient computer program, especially as there are no claimed sightings in over a thousand years."

"So where did you meet him?"

"Early 21st Century. This would be after Torchwood Tower in London was destroyed by fire, but before the whole thing dropped off the face of the Earth. Harkness trained his team well, and I didn't want to risk a major confrontation when I could just hit him again another time." It was close enough to the truth. "Don't we run some risk of paradox by taking him out, though? He's been around for a long time, he's probably done some things we don't want to undo."

"You didn't mind when I sent you on the mission, Harrison."

"Did more research. I started thinking."

"Can't have that. Look, the Time Agency has some new allies that will be quite handy. They have a grudge against Torchwood, so the elimination of them is a condition of the alliance, but they want it kept quiet. You're an ass and I don't like you, but you're good at what you do, so I gave this to you. If you can't handle it, I'll pass it on to someone else, maybe your pal Dante."

"No, I'll handle it." The odds that Dante would succeed in killing him were a bit too good. No way was Jax risking that. "Allies so useful as to be worth risking a paradox, huh?" He grinned, turning on the charm.

"I'm sure you'd love to know, but it's above your clearance," retorted Silver, smirking at him. "But I might be amenable to letting you know a little, for the right price." She shot him a seductive smile that Jax wouldn't have been able to miss if he were dead. His smile brightened as she took a step closer and leaned into him for a kiss.

After a very nice amount of time spent locked in her office, she allowed him to listen to some of the negotiations going on between the Agency and the potential allies. While he couldn't see them, something about the voices unsettled him. Ostensibly, he spent the rest of the afternoon doing more research on Torchwood, but he was too restless to get much of anything done. He left as soon as he could without arousing suspicion.

He stopped for takeaway on his way home, figuring that maybe he could use it to bribe his unintentional house guest into telling him more about the mysterious allies. After all, if they were Torchwood's enemy, Ianto might know something about them. And since it didn't relate directly to Jack, the little bastard might actually tell him about it.

Jax stopped in his doorway, jaw falling open. His flat was spotless, every surface gleaming. Apparently Ianto hadn't been kidding when he'd said he'd be busy. Despite himself, Jax was impressed by how much the boy had done, and on a bad ankle no less. He turned towards the couch to compliment him and only then registered just what was wrong with the room.

Ianto was gone.


	4. There are Fifty-Seven Torchwoods?

Vanna Williams was bored. Very, _very_ bored. The only other employee of Torchwood 57 who was in today was their medic, and Lew was occupied doing his genealogy research—obsession, rather. Dev and Merrick were on their honeymoon, and Evelyn was recovering from a minor but nasty injury the day before. While Vanna didn't really wish her harm, she wasn't sad not to have her in either. The woman was difficult on a good day and a total bitch on the bad ones. With her out, Vanna was in charge. Of course, so far today that meant in charge of nothing….

Vanna was skimming through the news, trying—and failing—to find anything of interest when a flashing message popped up on her screen. She read it once, then twice, staring in disbelief. "Lew! Get your ass out of the twenty-fifth century and take a look at this!"

"I'm back to the twentieth now," he said proudly as he came to look at her screen. "Whoa. That for real?"

"Well, we better not risk it. It's that damned Jakob Harrison again. I swear, I don't know why we're continually ordered to let him go," she griped as she strapped on her blaster. "But we can't ignore an alert on something millennia out of its time." Lew put a hand on her wrist as Vanna adjusted her vortex manipulator—enhanced with the latest bits that had fallen through the New London rift—and they were gone.

They were deposited right outside the door to Harrison's apartment. Vanna looked up at Lew and nodded, using the manipulator again to open the door—wouldn't do to make Harrison suspicious, after all. She wasn't sure what she had expected to find, but a prim young man in an archaic suit wasn't it.

"I take it you're Torchwood," he said politely in an accent Vanna couldn't place.

"How the hell do you know that?" asked Vanna. The young man merely smiled.

"I place the suit at early third millennia," said Lew. "I assume you're the out of time alert we got?"

"That would be correct. Apparently my codes are still active, though it took an eternity for the system to decide that."

"Who the hell are you, and why are you chained to the couch and wearing one shoe?"

"I injured my ankle just before I came here, and he chained me to the couch to keep me from escaping." He rolled his eyes. "Lot of good that did him. As though I can't work technology not native to my own time." Lew and Vanna gaped at him.

"Don't suppose you could manage to unchain me?" Vanna started slightly, then used the manipulator to do precisely that. "Thank you," he said politely as he got cautiously to his feet. Seeing that threw Lew into full on doctor mode.

"No, stay sitting," he said as he pulled out his scanner. The man raised an eyebrow but did as ordered, waiting patiently while Lew determined the cause of his injury and what would be needed to treat it.

"You still haven't told us who you are," said Vanna as Lew switched to a different instrument to heal the ankle.

"Neither have you told me who you are, other than implying you're Torchwood."

"I'm Vanna, this is Lew. And we're Torchwood 57."

"Fifty-seven?" repeated the man incredulously. "There are _fifty-seven_ Torchwood offices?"

"Actually, there's sixty-four," said Lew absently. "There, you should be good now."

The man got to his feet, clearly surprised when there was no pain. "That's wonderful. Now if only I hadn't left my other shoe in the Hub." He scowled at his feet in clear annoyance.

"Who are you?" demanded Vanna again.

"You look much like a friend of mine. I wonder if you're a relation…or a descendent."

"You're avoiding the question."

"I am, aren't I?" He smirked, and Vanna's patience ran out.

"Fine. Lew, get over here." She grabbed the young man's hand and held it on her manipulator. Lew moved his in just in time to teleport with them.

"I will never get used to that," muttered their guest—prisoner?—after a moment. "It did not look this awful when Jack did it."

"It does take some getting used to," said Lew cheerily. "How many times have you done it?"

"That makes two. Not exactly a common technology in my time, and even the Rift doesn't give us that much."

"You have a rift? Where?" asked Vanna, trying to sound curious instead of interrogative.

He sighed. "Torchwood Three. Cardiff."

"You're Welsh?" yelped Lew excitedly, eliciting another raised eyebrow.

"I take it the accent isn't a giveaway."

"The Cardiff rift? Then you must be from the twentieth century," said Vanna.

"Twenty-first, actually."

"My family's Welsh," said Lew excitedly. "I've been tracing their roots back through time." He dashed back off to his station. Looking out over the workspace, the man suddenly sighed heavily.

"Three thousand years and Torchwood officers still don't know how to pick up after themselves," he said.

Vanna gave up on trying to get a straight answer out of their very annoying guest, so she took another tactic. "Now he's going to bore you with his genealogy research. Probably ask if you know any of his ancestors."

"I'm an archivist by training. I might find it interesting."

"An archivist? Honey, you should be in an archive." He chuckled at that.

"Perhaps. I'd really just rather get back to my own time." He slid a glance at her manipulator.

"Sorry, mine just teleports. No time travel. Captain won't allow it."

"Captain Jack Harkness?"

Vanna blinked, but before she could speak Lew came racing back over with a pile of pictures—printed on actual paper, she noticed, rolling her eyes.

"My full name is Llewellyn Davies," Lew said eagerly, and their guest smiled.

"Very Welsh."

Vanna tuned out Lew's diatribe—she had heard all of it before, several times—and simply watched the young man in the suit. He spoke little, glancing over the pictures as Lew spoke on and on. After about five minutes, he suddenly pulled one out, examining it closely.

"Where did you get this one?" he asked with an air of nonchalance.

Vanna shifted over to see a picture of a family gathered in front of a decorated tree. Two parents, a young boy and an older girl, all pale-skinned and dark-haired. Fairly typical of Lew's pictures, really.

"I haven't fully identified that photo. I believe that the girl is the mother of David Davies, born in 2000. This appears to be her family from some time in the 1990's—I'm thinking 1994."

"1992," said their guest softly. "I was nine."

Vanna blinked rapidly and Lew's jaw actually dropped. "You don't mean to tell me that boy is you?" managed Lew. He snatched the picture to examine, and Vanna stared over his shoulder. The coloring was right—pale skin, dark hair, blue eyes—and some of the facial features were similar. It was possible.

"Then you're I-Ian—"

"Ianto," he said, clearly flinching at Lew's pronunciation. "Ianto Jones."

For a moment, both Lew and Vanna simply stared at him. He reached into his pocket and produced a small electronic device. "I assume you have other pictures of Rhi and her family from later and would recognize them if you saw them?" he asked. Lew nodded dumbly as he turned the device, showing a picture that even Vanna recognized as having been among those scattered on Lew's desk just the week before.

"This is incredible!" yelped Lew. "Answering an alert to find one of my own ancestors, and from the time period I'm currently researching. Please, you have to help me, just little things like dates. Please?"

Ianto smiled slightly. "I'm not walking through that room wearing only one shoe. There is no telling what is on that floor."

"We can talk here." Lew pulled up his research on his scanner. "Now, the girl's name is Rhiannon, yes?"

"Yes. Born 5 June, 1979."

"And you're I-Ianto," he said, pronouncing it carefully.

"Yes. Born 19 August, 1983."

"Happy Birthday," said Vanna idly, and both men blinked at her. "Today is August 19."

Ianto flinched. "Are you telling me that today is my 3100th birthday?"

"Is it Remembrance Day already?" asked Lew at the same time.

"Remembrance Day?" asked Ianto.

"Did they not do that in your time? I'm pretty sure it's been around for thousands of years," said Lew.

"It's a day to remember everyone who's lost their life in the service of Torchwood," said Vanna. "It's said the Captain picked the date, no one really knows why. Only reason I haven't called him to talk about you is that he's always incommunicado on Remembrance Day."

"Call him now."

"I don't take orders from you. With Evelyn out, I'm in charge here."

"I've been with Torchwood since 2005, which means I have three thousand years of seniority. Call Jack."

"Jack?" repeated both Vanna and Lew.

"He's not a real person," said Lew doubtfully. "No one's seen him in hundreds of years, he won't even use video links. Common wisdom holds that Captain Jack Harkness was an alias used by successive leaders of Torchwood to maintain the mystique. About five hundred years ago he stopped making appearances. We're pretty sure that the last Captain just uploaded himself into the mainframe as a sentient computer."

"You think Jack's been Dread Pirate Roberts-ing? Oh, he'll be impossible about that. Call him now." Vanna exchanged a glance with Lew, who looked as clueless as she felt, but when she looked back at Ianto, she was surprised to see a layer of steel in the young man's blue eyes. She was pretty sure he was younger than her in terms of years lived, but she wasn't quite up for crossing him. Vanna lifted her manipulator and made the call.

"If this isn't a galaxy threatening emergency, I will be very upset," snapped the Captain when she finally got him to answer.

"I'm very sorry to bother you on Remembrance Day, sir, but we answered an odd call out earlier, and now I've got someone who claims to have worked for Torchwood in the past."

"And you really think I remember everyone who ever worked for Torchwood?" Vanna was going to answer, but Ianto beat her to it.

"I'm hoping the fact that you're still celebrating my birthday means you do remember me, sir," he said. "I'm 3100 years old today, apparently." The silence loomed for so long that Ianto spoke again. "Jack? Are you there?"

A teleport flash lit the room, resolving itself into a tall man wearing a coat even more archaic than Ianto's suit. He moved in front of their young guest, reaching a hand out tentatively to touch his face.

"Hello, Jack," said Ianto softly.

"It's really you," he said. "Three thousand years, but it's really Ianto Jones." And then he lunged forward and enveloped the young man in his arms, burying his face in Ianto's neck.

"You really still remember me?" asked Ianto, his voice rough. Part of Vanna felt guilty for intruding on what was obviously a reunion of lovers, but she was simply too flabbergasted to move. Captain Jack Harkness was real? And had really been around long enough to remember a man who had been dead for thousands of years?

"Never could forget Ianto Jones." He lifted his head to look at Ianto again, and Vanna and Lew got a good look at his face. Lew let out a strangled gasp.

"Fucking hell!" shouted Vanna. "Jakob Harrison!"


	5. Time Catches Up With Everyone

Ianto was dragged back into consciousness by an incessant beeping he recognized as Jack's wrist strap. "Isn't it Gwen's turn to respond to Rift alerts?" he muttered, pressing deeper into Jack's embrace. He liked waking up curled in his lover's arms, and it never lasted as long as he wanted.

"Gwen," repeated Jack softly. "There's someone I haven't thought of in a while." It was only then that Ianto's brain kicked in to report that the man he was cuddling was not the hundred and eighty year old lover he was used to. "Gwen…." His voice faltered.

"Gwen Cooper," supplied Ianto softly. A small, petty part of him gloried in the fact that Jack had remembered his name instantly but had to be reminded of Gwen's. He ruthlessly pressed that part down. "Vanna looks like her."

"She does? I'm sure I remember that Gwen had dark hair…"

"Yes, her hair and eye color are different, but the shape of her face, her features…those are the same. I think they've even got a similar voice, though it's hard to tell since I've never heard Gwen try an American accent."

"Speaking of Vanna, I think that's who's calling." Leaving his arms around Ianto, Jack pressed a few buttons on his wrist strap.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Captain, but there's another someone here to see you—or rather, Ianto." Vanna's tone was brisk.

"To see me?" repeated Ianto, surprised.

"Jakob Harrison. Says he has information for us, but only after he's seen Ianto. Didn't tell him about you. I also called Evelyn."

Even though Jack was spooned behind him and thus out of his line of sight, Ianto could feel the look of annoyance on his face. "Did you have to?"

"Not your favorite, either, huh?" laughed Vanna. "Sorry, but I'm not having my ass chewed off for going over her head and not telling her about it. She'll be in soon too."

"We'll get cleaned up and be back in an hour or so."

"All right, Captain. I'll let Lew keep Harrison busy, shall I?"

Jack laughed. "Go for it. See you soon."

"It won't take us an hour to get there when travel is instantaneous," said Ianto as Jack disconnected the call. "Even you don't primp that long."

Jack nipped at his earlobe. "I was thinking we could shower together." Ianto smiled.

They arrived back at the base only ten minutes over the hour Jack had predicted, which Ianto decided was acceptable, considering. He was back in his suit, which had been cleaned and pressed by a handy machine while they slept. Jack had also managed to obtain a pair of shoes that, while not like any style Ianto had seen before, did at least fit well.

Vanna was there to greet them, and Ianto was jarred again by the image of Gwen with red hair. Next to her stood another woman whose brown hair, blue eyes, and cleft chin marked her as being descended from Jack. Her expression was sour.

"Someone falls through time and your first instinct is to take them off for a good shag. Bloody typical," she said. While Ianto might have said the same thing, there'd have been amusement in his voice. There was only irritation in hers.

"Come off it, Ev," was Jack's reply. "It's not every day I get old lovers back. I'd have done the same thing if it were your great-grandmother." Vanna's jaw dropped.

"Do you have a coffee machine?" asked Ianto before anyone could respond. Jack's face lit, forcing Ianto to hide a smile. Vanna nodded. "Would everyone like a cup?"

"We subsist on coffee," said Vanna with a laugh.

"Some things never change. Jack, please don't reveal yourself to Jakob until I can watch?"

It took a few minutes to figure out the futuristic coffee machine, but soon Ianto was moving on autopilot, giving him what he'd really wanted: time to reflect.

_It took them an hour and a half to convince Vanna and Lew of the truth. Oddly, the bouncy, easy-going Lew was harder—probably his scientific background made it hard to accept the logical impossibility of Jack. But through the whole time, Jack stayed close, always touching Ianto in some small way, whether a hand on his shoulder, or holding his hand, or ruffling his hair—though he did the last only once after Ianto gave him a death glare. It made Ianto feel self-conscious, but it was kind of nice._

_When they finally answered at least the largest of the questions, Jack asked Ianto to accompany him home._ _"Not for what you think," he said quickly when Ianto hesitated. "I wouldn't say no," he added with his trademark grin, "but I really just want to spend some time with you before I have to send you back." Ianto simply nodded, stepping into Jack's arms and laying his hand on the wrist strap._

_ They arrived in some sort of lounge furnished in several shades of blue, but Ianto barely looked at it. "You're going gray," he said softly, lifting a hand to the slight silvering at Jack's temple._

_ "Time catches up with everyone, even me."_

_ "But not this coat," said Ianto with a grin._

_ "I hate to burst your bubble, but this is a replica. I have to have them made every couple of hundred years. And I only use it for Torchwood now."_

_ Ianto raised an eyebrow. "That's a shame."_

_ Jack laughed. "Oh, I've missed that, the dry tone that is unique to Ianto Jones. Three thousand years and no one has ever managed that as well as you."_

_ Ianto shivered. "It's weird to hear you talk about me in the past tense."_

_ "Sorry." Jack tightened his arms around him and dropped a kiss on his neck. As he straightened, his eyes looked right into Ianto's own, and he found himself transfixed by the expression there. He was familiar with the lust and longing that shone from those beautiful blue eyes, but over and above that was a look he could only describe as love. He'd never seen his Jack look at him like that. Whether it was because the love came later or simply because twenty-first century Jack was afraid to let him see it, Ianto couldn't say, but it definitely wasn't there. Not like this._

_ "Why me?" he asked, his voice almost inaudible. "What's so special about me that you held onto me for so long?"_

"_I'm not going to tell you you're the only one who was special," Jack said softly. "You'd know it for a lie. But there is a short list of those who were the most special, and your name's on it." Ianto merely looked at him, knowing that his eyes reflected his shock. "I know you felt that you didn't know me well, that I kept a lot from you. And I won't deny that I did. But believe it or not, I told you a lot more than I've told most people. Yet you loved me anyway. You saw my flaws, knew my weaknesses….and still you looked at me with such love."_

_ Ianto had called Torchwood because he knew they would have the technology to send him home. He'd actually hoped to not see Jack, sure that he'd have been forgotten, dreading the lack of recognition in those beloved eyes. And he'd told himself in no uncertain terms that even if he did see Jack, he wouldn't have sex with him. But as he looked at this man who had loved him for thousands of years, that resolve crumbled. He might not have the words to tell Jack how much that meant to him, but he could show him. Without a second thought, Ianto leaned in and kissed Jack._

"There you are!" cried a voice, startling Ianto out of his reverie. He turned to see Jakob Harrison striding towards him. "You little prick, do you know what I've been through worrying about you?"

"I'm sure you'll get over it," said Ianto mildly. "Coffee?"

"He better not get his before I get mine," said Jack, sliding an arm around Ianto's waist. Jakob went completely white.

"You're still alive," he said faintly. "How are you still alive?"

"Long story, but it'll happen to you before too much longer, so no reason to go into it."

"Jack, I can't finish the coffee if you don't let me go," said Ianto. "It would be a shame to not give you my best." As he expected, Jack released him instantly, but didn't step away. If Ianto didn't know better, he'd think Jack was jealous. The petty part of Ianto that he hadn't entirely crushed earlier sang with joy.

The noise Jack made when drinking his coffee was completely obscene. Jakob stared at him incredulously, looked at his own coffee, tentatively tasted it….and made his own obscene noise. Ianto smirked as he skirted around Jakob to deliver coffee to Vanna, Lew, and Evelyn, all of whom at least managed not to be as orgasmic in their appreciation. Jack and Jakob stared at each other as he did so, reminding Ianto of Jack's interactions with Rhys. Stags butting antlers indeed.

"Granddad, if you're done poking at yourself, we could use you up here," yelled Evelyn.

"You're my granddaughter?" demanded Jakob as he and Jack joined the others.

"Actually, she's my great-granddaughter," said Jack with a grin as he slid an arm back around Ianto. Jakob blanched. "Why are you here?"

"I found out why the Time Agency is gunning for Torchwood." Jakob told the story with the same flair that Jack always told a story, and for a few minutes Ianto simply enjoyed the tale, though he kept his face set and impassive as though he weren't.

"I didn't get to see these mysterious allies, but Silver did let me close enough to hear them." He shivered. "Their voices were almost…metallic, if that makes sense. The phrasing was also weird. They want Torchwood removed from this time, but they kept saying it must be _deleted_."

Ianto started to tremble ever so slightly, his pale skin going whiter. He could feel Jack stiffening as well—and not in the way Ianto usually enjoyed. Vanna, Lew, and Evelyn also reacted.

"You're sure they said _deleted_?" asked Jack, his voice strained.

"Absolutely."

"Were they moving around?" asked Ianto. "Heavy, metallic footsteps?"

"Yes."

"Cybermen would have a grudge against us," said Evelyn. "They're one threat every Torchwood employee knows about, and we are the only ones with the means to defeat them."

Ianto drew back, staring at Jack. "For Canary Wharf?" he asked.

"For you," said Jack softly. "And for her."

"_Lisa_?"

"Lisa," repeated Jack. "That was her name. Yes, for you and for Lisa."


	6. Jack has a Dread Pirate Roberts Thing

_**Author's Note: Thanks, everyone, for the lovely reviews. I really appreciate them!**_

Jax did not like this plan, not the least reason of which was because it involved letting his superiors know that he had actually spoken with Torchwood. He also disliked the timing, the method, and the fact that it would endanger Ianto (which he wouldn't have cared about that much except in so far as he knew he'd get upset about it when he eventually became Jack). But he'd been overruled.

Once he'd learned exactly what the Time Agency's new allies were, he'd been in full agreement with Jack and the Torchwood crew that they needed to do something about them. The plan for actually getting to the Cybermen was pretty good—Jack's Torchwood had some impressive technology that would allow them to get in and out with minimal difficulty. The only problem was that they needed a distraction.

That was why Jax and Ianto were now entering the lobby of the Time Agency with the latter wearing Jack's antique greatcoat. Ianto was in the lead as they entered, but he motioned Jax forward as they approached the desk. "Jakob Harrison and Captain Jack Harkness to see Silver Ferris."

_"Even Torchwood believes that Jack has a Dread Pirate Roberts thing going on," said Ianto, only to be greeted by blank looks from everyone, even Jack. Ianto rolled his eyes."When I get back, I am showing you _The Princess Bride_." He continued, outlining his plan._

_ "The problem with that," put in Jack, "is that Jakob there is not yet immortal. If I go in there, they'll kill him to prevent him from becoming me. That would create a major paradox even if I weren't a fixed point in time and space…"_

_ "How much of a description of Jack is there in whatever archives you accessed?" asked Ianto._

_ "Tall, dark hair, pale skin, blue eyes, always wears a long coat."_

_ "What, no comment on my strong jaw or flashing dimples?" demanded Jack. Ianto rolled his eyes._

_ "You're right that sending you in is a bad plan," said Ianto. "But even allowing for the fact that there are two of you here, you are not the only person in this room who matches that description."_

_ Jack went promptly ballistic. It took half an hour to calm him down and another hour after that for Ianto and Evelyn to talk him into it._

Jax watched Ianto carefully as they were escorted to Silver's office. The young man seemed unconcerned and aloof, his expression almost bored as he watched what was going on around him. The only tell on his nerves was the way his hand clenched in his coat pocket.

They did not have to wait to see Silver. "Captain Harkness! A pleasure to finally meet you. Please, come in," she said.

"I'm not here for pleasantries, Ms Ferris," said Ianto coldly, though Silver's expression didn't falter. "I'm here to discuss the Cybermen. Does the Time Agency have any idea what it is doing?"

"I don't know what you mean—"

"Don't toy with me," snapped Ianto. "Torchwood have a long history of dealing with Cybermen since they destroyed one of our facilities in 2007. We are the only ones who can stop them, which is why they want you to take us out. Once you've done their dirty work, you'll be the first ones they upgrade." A flash of irritation slid through Silver's violet eyes, but Ianto continued before she could say anything further. "You do know what Cybermen are, don't you? They're humans upgraded, emotions removed."

"Look, kid, I think I know more—"

"I wouldn't bet on that," said Ianto, raising an eyebrow. "I'm the head of Torchwood, and we've been dealing with them for thousands of years."

"And you've been in charge for all of it, right? I've seen the files."

"Don't be ridiculous," snorted Ianto. "I can't possibly be thousands of years old." Jax kept his face impassive, though he wanted badly to laugh at the disdain the young man managed.

"So Jack Harkness is an alias."

Ianto smiled. "And there's always another ready to step up, which is why sending your boy here to kill me in the past won't help you in the least. Even if he succeeds—and he might have done—you'll never notice the difference."

Jax almost missed the movement as Silver drew a knife and darted for Ianto's throat. The young man held his ground, not visibly flinching. He looked down at Silver with amusement. "Go ahead. But I think you'll find my replacement more difficult to deal with. Aside from the fact that he can be rather an ass at times, he wasn't in favor of this plan. I, however, am here to make a deal." Jax kept himself loose, ready to lunge at Silver if needed. He was supposed to look like he was here against his own wishes, but he was mostly there to protect Ianto.

"I'm listening."

"The Cybermen aren't the only ones with technology you might find useful. Torchwood has been monitoring rifts in space and time for thousands of years, and we've collected a lot of interesting things. Some of them even we don't know what they do; others have allowed us to upgrade our equipment in ways you wouldn't believe. We are willing to share some of that technology in exchange for you stepping aside while we deal with the Cybermen."

"Really?" asked Silver. "That's your deal?"

"It's a good deal," said Ianto nonchalantly. "It means you walk away with your emotions. That's better than the Cybermen will give you." Silver snorted, and Ianto's eyes went cold. "I've seen it happen. They reprogram you, strip what makes you, you. Though if it gets interrupted, it still retains just enough of you to convince your loved ones that it's still you so they'll keep you around until you can start converting them." Jax and Silver both blinked at the venom in the young man's voice—and Jax recognized an undercurrent of guilt as well. This Lisa he and Jack had spoken of before? Jax had been given few details of the destruction of Torchwood Tower—and most of those he'd had to work to draw out of Evelyn—but he'd gotten enough. Why would the boy have stayed on with Torchwood after surviving that?

"I think, Captain Harkness, that you are out of your depth," said Silver, her voice cold. She raised a hand and gestured in a pair of figures that looked like someone's idea of robots if said someone lived in the late twentieth century. Jax stared at them in shock while Ianto started to tremble beside him. "I think you're more afraid of them than they are of you."

"Jack Harkness must be deleted," said one of the figures. It was hard to tell, but he was pretty sure it was looking at Jax rather than Ianto. _Shit._

"I think you'll find that Captain Jack Harkness doesn't go down easily," said Ianto, producing an energy weapon from beneath his coat. Two shots took down the Cybermen before they could approach Jax, and then he leveled the blaster at Silver, who looked shocked. "This coat is enhanced with a little something from the year 100,000," said Ianto with a smirk. "Fools most electronic sensors in this era. Now, if you'd just given me an old-fashioned pat down, you might have noticed it. But no one bothers with such things any more, do they?" He smirked.

"Harrison!" snapped Silver, and Jax looked at her incredulously.

"You expect me to side with the people who are going to take away my body? I mean, you've seen me, right? Why would anyone give this up?" Ianto snorted, clearly trying not to laugh, though he kept his gun steady on Silver.

"Look, Harkness, I don't know what information you're going on—"

"Unless you're ready to deal, I want you to stay quiet," said Ianto. "These may be designed to take out Cybermen, but I suspect they'll do a fair amount of damage to you as well."

"If you expect me to take your ridiculous deal—"

"I had no expectation you would. I just needed to distract you," said Ianto with a smirk. Jax snorted, just as a crash signaled that the rest of the crew was accomplishing their goal.

Silver swore and took off running for the source of the noise. Ianto and Jax followed after. They burst through a door to find the Torchwood crew slaughtering every Cyberman in sight.

Silver let out a shriek of fury and dived at the nearest figure, who Jax identified as Evelyn only by the size, as all four of them were wearing suits that concealed not only their faces, but even obscured their gender; Jack was taking no chances on being recognized. Jax was impressed when the woman, who he had judged by her appearance to be older than him, executed a perfect kick that sent the Time Agent sprawling.

Beside him, Ianto took a shot at a Cyberman that was reaching its hand towards the tallest figure (Lew, who also seemed to be the weakest fighter). "That is for Mark," whispered Ianto. "And for Thomas," he continued as he hit another Cyberman who was fighting the small figure that could only be Vanna. "For Betsy and Hannah and Margaret and Tobias and most of all, _for Lisa_." He took another shot with each name, sending at least four of the enemy to the ground. Most of them were down by now.

Silver stood up and threw herself towards Lew, knocking the young man to the ground. Jack dived after them both, knocking her off of the doctor and rolling across the floor. After a minute or so of wrestling, she came out on top with her knife buried to the hilt in Jack's chest.

"Jack!" shouted Ianto without thinking, taking a shot at Silver that she just managed to dodge. He darted across the room, skidding to a halt beside his lover and once more leveling his blaster at Silver.

"You won't kill me," said Silver derisively. "You don't have it in you, Harkness."

"He doesn't," agreed Jax as he came up behind her. "But I do." And he shot his supervisor in the back of the head.

Ianto stared at him. "You killed her."

"I'm not a nice person," replied Jax as Jack drew in a deep breath and jerked in Ianto's arms. "She killed him. She knew it. She can't know about what happens next, so she has to die."

"You know it."

"And I'll have to forget. Probably they'll do it as a punishment for what I just did. Now, are all the Cybermen down?"

"Yes," said Evelyn, sounding a little breathless. Behind her, Vanna was supporting the much taller Lew, who looked a little worse for wear. "I've set the charges and activated the evacuation alarm. They'll be nothing left of them."

"Then let's go."


	7. But It Seems I've Got No Choice

_**Author's Note: I have a feeling some people will hate this chapter. My apologies in advance.**_

Lew had been leaning heavily on Vanna as they teleported out, sending both of them to the ground as they reappeared at Torchwood 57. She'd been surprised when it was Jakob Harrison who was the first there to help sort them out, carrying the six-foot-six Lew to the medical bay. He was the most badly injured, having caught the edge of an electricity blast from a Cyberman before Ianto had shot it. Vanna and Harrison had followed Lew's instructions to treat him and then the injuries that Vanna and Evelyn had sustained—nothing major in their case, though Evelyn had stressed the shoulder she'd injured a few days before.

Ianto and the Captain had disappeared as the injuries were dealt with and only just returned two hours later. Lew had spent the time asleep, Evelyn in her office, and Harrison sitting to the side brooding. Vanna had been at her own desk pretending to work, but really she was watching Harrison.

Vanna had always believed in Captain Jack Harkness. Even when she had been sure that he was merely a sentient computer program, she had believed that he was the heart and soul of Torchwood, an almost infallible leader who steered them where they needed to go. If she disagreed with an order handed down from the Captain, she accepted it as something she didn't understand only because she didn't have all of the information. Even knowing that he was merely a man—okay, a three thousand year old immortal man—she still believed that. What she had trouble believing was that her Captain had once been Jakob Harrison.

Torchwood 57 had crossed paths with Harrison a couple of times. He was a screw up and an impossible flirt, and every piece of information they had said that they would be better off keeping him from ever leaving his own time. And yet, somehow, he'd become her Captain. She could see the resemblance, and she knew they both believed it, but she couldn't wrap her brain around it.

Ianto appeared at her elbow, and Vanna gratefully accepted a cup of coffee. She'd been impressed by the young man, who had shot with berserker accuracy despite the fact that the Cybermen still clearly terrified him. Not that she could blame him for the latter—Vanna wasn't a scholar, but Canary Wharf was required learning for all Torchwood operatives. She knew something of what he'd been through.

Ianto continued past Vanna to deliver a cup to Harrison, who looked up in surprise. "Didn't think you'd want to talk to me," said Harrison as he took the coffee.

"Apparently making the tough calls is something you've always done rather than something you picked up later," said Ianto evenly. "I've always respected that, and I don't intend to stop now just because you're not quite my Jack yet." Vanna pretended to be absorbed in her computer as Ianto stared into his coffee. "Lisa didn't die at Canary Wharf."

Harrison jumped, and Vanna flinched. "I got her out, convinced Jack to hire me so I would have access to what I needed to cure her. She was only partially converted, but I didn't realize that the mental programming was complete. She got loose and nearly killed us all—and if she had, she'd have taken over the world. Jack and the others shot her in front of me."

Vanna was unable to keep up her pretense, but fortunately Ianto was still staring into his coffee and Harrison was busy gaping at him, so neither noticed her. "It took a while before I could admit it, but he did the right thing there, just as you did today with Silver Ferris." Ianto shifted his gaze from his coffee to his shoes. "He always said I wouldn't like who he was before, and he wasn't entirely wrong. But I can see some of the qualities I respect in Jack in you. Regardless of what he thinks, he's not the way he is just because of the Doctor."

"He put you through that and you still fell in love with him?" asked Harrison so softly that Vanna almost couldn't hear him. "No wonder he held onto you for all those years."

Okay, this was getting a little too personal. Vanna carefully rose to her feet and slipped quietly away towards Evelyn's office.

"No, I'm not going to send him back now!" said the Captain heatedly. "Another day or two won't hurt. A week, maybe even a month…"

"I am not keeping that boy three thousand years out of his time just so you can get a good shag," snapped Evelyn.

"But he's going to die," said the Captain, his voice breaking. Both Evelyn and Vanna started. "Surely a little bit longer here won't hurt him."

"Everyone dies, Granddad."

"He came back here on his twenty-sixth birthday—August 19, 2009. Think about it, Ev. You remember more about Torchwood's history than even I do. What happened in September 2009?"

"Torchwood disappeared for two years following the incident with the 456," said Evelyn reluctantly.

"That still ranks as one of the worst weeks of my life. On Monday, someone put a bomb in my belly and blew me up—Gwen and Ianto only barely made it out of the Hub. On Tuesday, I came back from the dead before I'd completely healed and screamed in agony until they drowned me in concrete. On Wednesday I learned that the 456 wanted 10% of the world's children because they wanted to use them to get high and that my daughter and grandson had been taken by the people who'd blown me up. On Thursday I took Ianto with me to confront the 456 and they poisoned the air in the building we were in. He died in my arms, begging me not to forget him. By Friday I was so broken that when the only way we could come up with to combat the 456 required using a child and the only one available was my grandson, I sacrificed him. His name was Steven."

Vanna was frozen in place, and Evelyn's face was set with horror. "And the worst thing is, I can't go back and change it. I would do almost anything to keep him, but I can't do that. Sacrificing Steven was the only way to stop them…and wanting to make sure Ianto didn't die in vain was the only reason I brought myself to do it." His voice broke. "So many children. They were going to send the ones from the poorest schools, which included Ianto's niece and nephew. His nephew became an architect and redesigned San Francisco after the quake of 2037—some of his buildings are still standing. His niece was a brilliant geneticist who made some major breakthroughs in cancer treatments. So many lives saved that would have been lost if Ianto hadn't died. I can't value his life above all of those others no matter how much I loved him….not the least reason of which is because he wouldn't have let me."

By the time the Captain had told Evelyn of how Ianto's spirit had sacrfificed himself to close the Cardiff rift, Vanna was crying silently. She wasn't the only one—even the ever stoic Evelyn had tear tracks on her face as she held her great-grandfather's hand. Vanna heard another sniffle behind her, and turned to find Ianto standing there. As soon as he realized she was aware of him, he turned and fled. Without hesitation, Vanna followed him.

It didn't surprise her when he found his way to the Archives. Evelyn had shown him around earlier, pleased to meet a fellow archivist and historian—though she hadn't let him look at anything too closely. He'd complained good-naturedly about that.

Vanna stayed close enough to hear him but stayed out of sight at first. She'd already realized that Ianto was very private—their first conversation had proven that—and she didn't want to intrude, but she did need to know how much he'd heard.

She'd expected him to cry, but Ianto surprised her again. What she heard in the Archives was not despair but rage. The walls shook as he pounded his fists against them, and her ears rang with the creative curses he rolled out—in several languages, no less. It was only after the noise petered out that she entered the room.

Ianto sat on the floor, his head in his hands as tears rolled down his face. "How much did you hear?" asked Vanna, her voice gentle.

"Everything," he said. "You didn't leave nearly as quietly as you thought you did. I was right behind you." He didn't look up. Carefully, Vanna sat down beside him. She wanted to slide an arm around his shoulders and cuddle him but didn't think he would allow it, so she settled for getting as close as she could without touching. "I knew that working for Torchwood meant I'd die young."

"What are you going to do?"

He sighed. "I don't want to die," he said, his voice nearly inaudible. "But it seems I've got no choice."

"You could stay here a while," said Vanna. "You're good in a fight and Evelyn would love to have more help in the Archives."

"No," said Ianto quietly. "Jack's right. I have to go back. How can I weigh my life above 10% of the Earth's children?"

"Maybe there's another way, a way to save them and you?"

"And what if that it doesn't work? How many people are descended from that 10% and thus would never be born? If my nephew was taken by them, Lew would cease to exist—and so would those buildings in San Francisco. How many people were saved by Mica's cancer research? Can I condemn all of them to die as well?" His voice broke and Vanna risked sliding an arm around him.

"You know you're incredible, right?" she asked, and he looked up at her, surprised. "Most people wouldn't go back knowing they were going to die."

"I don't want to die," said Ianto again. "And I don't want to know I'm going to. Do you still have Retcon?"

"Yes."

"I want you to give me some. I want to forget everything I just heard Jack say. But first, I want a few more days here with this Jack." Vanna blinked at him. "My Jack has never admitted that he loves me, and from the sounds of it never will, at least not in my lifetime." He grimaced. "I want to enjoy a few days with a Jack who does acknowledge his feelings for me. I want to feel loved and treasured even if I know that you'll have to take that memory with the knowledge of my death."

"But won't Jack—"

"I hid a Cyberman in the basement of Torchwood Three for months. I can make him believe I don't know." Vanna nodded even though she'd gone pale at his words. "You know your Retcon better than I do, so I'll leave the when up to you. I'll just make sure we pop in to say hi each evening. I'd prefer to remember at least some of this, but if you and Evelyn and Lew feel I should forget it all, well, I guess I won't know the difference." He smiled wryly.

"You're a very strong person, Ianto Jones," said Vanna. "I'll do as you ask."

"Thank you, Vanna….I just realized I don't know your surname."

"It's Williams." His eyes went wide and he choked slightly on what sounded like a laugh.

"Really? Vanna _Willliams_?"

"What's so funny about that?"

"Nothing, really," he said quickly. "Only, you look just like my friend Gwen."

"Gwen Cooper. Evelyn looked up the team you were on," she added when he looked surprised.

"Yes, but her husband's name is Rhys Williams."

"Huh," said Vanna. "Guess Lew and Evelyn aren't the only ones descended from Torchwood Cardiff." Ianto laughed.

They didn't see much of Jack and Ianto over the next several days, though Ianto did manage to locate _The Princess Bride_ and force all of them to watch it. (Not that that was a hardship—Vanna loved the movie and made a copy so she could watch it again later.) They did, however, see quite a bit of Jakob Harrison. He had insisted on being the one to take Ianto home, but was afraid that if he left Torchwood, he'd be picked up and mind-wiped by the Time Agency before he could.

On the third day, Vanna served Ianto a cup of coffee laced with Retcon. As he drifted off to sleep, he smiled a thank you to her. It was the Captain who hit the roof.

"I expected Evelyn to try that, but not you!" he shouted. Vanna stood her ground, eyes flashing, but it was Jakob Harrison who answered.

"That boy chose to go back to his own death rather than risk a paradox," he said, getting in the Captain's face as much as he could considering that they couldn't touch. "You will not cheapen that choice by shouting at the person who made it possible."

"He heard your conversation with Evelyn," said Vanna softly. "He asked me for a few days to enjoy being with you." Evelyn had been concerned he would change his mind, but Vanna had seen his face. She'd have fought for him to have more time, but had conceded to Evelyn that it was best if he and the Captain were gone before Dev and Merrick got back. "This is what he wants."

"He'll remember nothing of being here," said Evelyn gently. "It's best this way, Granddad."

"I know," said the Captain softly. "I remember he knew nothing, but I'd hoped that maybe he was just keeping some of it from me, that he'd know how much I loved him even though I couldn't manage to tell him." He turned away from Harrison, looking at Ianto. "Could I have a moment alone with him?"

Fifteen minutes later, Captain Jack Harkness and the three members of Torchwood 57 saluted Ianto Jones as Jakob Harrison took him home.


	8. Not Remembering Things Best Forgotten

When Ianto opened his eyes, he was cradled in Jack's arms. Gwen hovered nearby, looking almost as worried as Jack did. Ianto blinked at them.

"Are you okay?" asked Jack.

"I think so. What happened?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Fighting Weevils, twisting my ankle. Dealing with another version of you," added Ianto as he suddenly remembered. "He grabbed me, took me to the future…but I don't know how I got back."

"He brought you back," said Jack. "Told us it had been five days and you wouldn't remember anything. He wouldn't give much in the way of details."

"I remember being stuck on your couch while you had sex with John Hart," said Ianto, and Jack raised an eyebrow. "But everything after that is gone."

"You must have caught up with Torchwood. I'm registering Retcon in your system," said Jack, glancing at his wrist strap. "I imagine there was a good reason for them to give it to you."

"Probably," agreed Ianto vaguely. "My ankle doesn't hurt."

"It's all better. Probably you got some medical attention in the future."

"5083," said Ianto. "Jakob said it was 5083." Gwen let out a noise.

"That would be about right," said Jack. "It was around then that I woke up with no memory of the previous two years." Gwen made another noise, and Ianto realized she hadn't known that. A small part of him felt superior. "I'm taking you home," continued Jack. "Gwen, keep an eye on him while I bring the SUV around."

"I'm perfectly capable of walking, Jack," protested Ianto, but his lover was already gone.

"I think he just wants a minute alone to recover. He's been beside himself since you disappeared," said Gwen. "Terrified that either he himself had done something to you—would do something to you? God, time travel is difficult to discuss—or that the Time Agency would. Against regulations to kidnap people out of time, he said."

"What did Jakob say?"

"That he looks good with a little bit of gray, which I take to mean you met up with another version of Jack, probably one who's thousands of years old. And he said that you were great, so you must have helped them with something. He looked quite impressed and was a little protective. Admonished Jack to 'cherish the time you have.'"

Ianto snorted. "So I'm going to die young. Wonderful."

"Hopefully no time soon," said Gwen, giving him a hug. "Where did you get those shoes?"

"One of mine got left in the Hub when he took me. Damn, I guess that means I left the other one in 5083, and I _like_ those shoes." Gwen chuckled.

"Come on. Jack will have the SUV around any time. You go and enjoy what's left of your birthday."

"We missed our dinner reservations," Jack said as Ianto got into the SUV.

"Not sure I'm up for going out tonight," admitted Ianto. "Still feeling the effects of the Retcon. I reckon you'll just have to take me home and put me to bed." He smirked and Jack grinned.

"Whatever the birthday boy wants."

They didn't make it to bed the first time. Jack seemed almost desperate to make sure Ianto was really all right, running his hands over every inch of Ianto's body. It wasn't until much later, when they were curled up together in bed, that he voiced the question that had been plaguing him.

"Did he say anything about what happened to me?"

"Not much," said Jack softly. "He implied you'd gotten involved in something as he said you were pretty good in a fight. But he also suggested that the Retcon was your choice."

"He said that?"

"Not in so many words—if he had, I wouldn't have believed it. What he actually said was something about following your example by not remembering what is best forgotten."

"So I must have learned something, probably about my own future, and decided it was better to forget it."

"Presumably."

"Then I guess I should respect my own decision and not try to remember."

Ianto never broke the Retcon, even as he lay in Jack's arms on the floor of Thames House. But he did think of it. _I must have known this was coming, so if I decided to do it anyway, I'm sure I had a good reason. If I have to die young, at least it's not in vain._ Ianto Jones died at peace.

Jack, too grief-stricken to think clearly, didn't piece the obvious together until after Ianto saved him at the House of the Dead. It took him a very long time to forgive Ianto for choosing to die…but not as long as it took to forgive himself for letting it happen.

Jax presented himself to his supervisors in the Time Agency. He put up a fuss for show, but in the end he submitted to having two years of his memories wiped. Some of his supervisors were surprised by this; none were shocked when he ran afterwards.

And on August 19, 5084, Evelyn gave Dev and Merrick the day off and called in her great-grandfather. Then she, Jack, Lew, and Vanna celebrated the life of Ianto Jones.


End file.
